HDP Van MP Tuğba Hezer, French Green Party MP Sergio Coronado and Peace Initiative member Ayşe Berktay held a press conference in the French Parliament on the prosecution of HDP MPs after the lifting of parliamentary immunities.

French MP Sergio Coronado spoke in the press conference and said it was their duty to protect the HDP MPs today, just like they did in the past for Leyla Zana and her friends.

“HDP is the only force struggling against the cities in Kurdistan being burned to the ground, the lifting of immunities and the AKP government and Turkey turning into an increasingly antidemocratic system,” said Coronado and added that the 58 Europe Greens, Left Group MPs had taken steps to protect HDP.

Coronado concluded with saying “We hope the peace treaty signed between the Colombian government and FARC will be seen in your country as well”. HDP Van MP Tuğba Hezer spoke after the French MP and expressed that Turkey is experiencing a serious massacre of democracy right now.

Stating that the European parliamentarians and left and socialist circles should be in a tighter solidarity against the events in Kurdistan and Turkey, Hezer said “We need support.”

Peace Initiative member Ayşe Berktay said the arrests of Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle and their friends and the banning of parties showed to be an unchanging line in Turkey’s past record.

Berktay also stated that the state reflex against Kurdish parties and politicians continued today under the presidency of Erdoğan in the form of political genocide, and continued: “6 million voters are rendered null with the lifting of the HDP MPs immunities. There were 182 summaries on HDP MPs. Then in the beginning of 2016 Erdoğan said all HDP MPs should be behind bars, and the number of summaries shot to 510. Lynching attempts and arrests of the academics saying yes to peace are concrete signs of Turkey tumbling towards a dictate regime.”

Berktay said the EU must inspect Turkey’s commitments regarding the refugees and added that the support from French parliamentarians was very important in this sense. She also called for an increased support from the European and worldwide public.

HDP’s Cizre Report was passed out to journalists during the press conference.